Will The Real Mr Manoso Please Stand Up?
by Dayoh
Summary: One Shot: Stephanie finally makes it to the Bat Cave. And it is there that she meets the real Mr. Manoso.


Will The Real Mr. Manoso Please Stand Up?

By Dayoh

The stretch of road seemed to go on forever, even though Stephanie had only driven 10 miles after making the last turn off Route 31. Hunterdon County, a high income area of New Jersey, was quiet and dark in the late night hour. However, Stephanie had no fear of getting lost since the directions, written in nearly perfect penmanship, were detailed and precise. Stephanie expected no less of Ranger; he was a detailed and precise kind of guy.

Nearing her destination, Stephanie's heart beat increased rapidly. Ranger had once told her that if she ever entered the Bat Cave, she would never leave. And at the time, she'd been pretty sure Ranger was joking, but now she wasn't so sure. Ranger had also told Stephanie that she'd have to put in a little extra work to find the real location of the Bat Cave, and she filed the challenge away for safe keeping but had never made an effort to do the extra detective work.

A little over a year ago, Stephanie had managed to snoop her way into Ranger's part-time living space, a luxurious apartment located in downtown Trenton. Ranger also housed his company, Rangeman Security in the same building, and with a key-fob to call her own, she'd been in no big hurry to search for what she now believed was Ranger's safe haven. A place he probably used as an escape from his hectic life.

Stephanie and Ranger had shared a friendship, as well as a few other things, for the last three years, but Ranger had never revealed the location of his second home, until now. Stephanie smiled, remembering the moment she'd pulled the slip of paper from her cookie jar, immediately recognizing Ranger's handwriting.

M_e Casa: 2954 Rock-Lambert Way, Low Bridge, NJ, 08802_

_Whenever you're feeling brave…_

Two lines, no signature, along with detailed directions to the Bat Cave.

Stephanie let out a small, embarrassing squeal and rushed to the computer, pulling up MapQuest to make sure the directions matched the instructions on the slip of paper. Ranger's home address on his driver's license was a vacant lot in an abandoned part of town, so she wanted to be sure he wasn't yanking her chain.

Now, here she was a few blocks from _The Final Frontier_, and the bravado she'd been feeling when she walked out her front door was quickly waning. Stephanie wasn't scared of Ranger. He'd never physically forced her to do anything she didn't want to do. But, Ranger had been a constant temptation for a long time, and she no longer trusted herself around him. Ranger knew how to apply the right pressure to get what he wanted. And usually that pressure involved Ranger's tongue and roving hands on Stephanie's body.

Then there was the on again, off again relationship she shared with Joe Morelli. Currently, they were off again. And that was the main reason she'd been bit by the _brave bug_. Truth be told, Stephanie was certain she didn't want to continue the push and pull thing with Morelli. She loved Morelli, but she was not willing to live the kind of life that he wanted her to live. Furthermore, she felt that she'd outgrown the relationship and she was ready to move on.

And the real kicker? Stephanie had actually grown to love Ranger more and more over the last couple of years. And she was pretty sure Ranger's feelings were mutual. But there was a lot more to Ranger than he allowed her to see. Ranger kept secrets. His lifestyle was not conducive to a committed relationship.

_So why had he invited her to his home_? Stephanie rolled the question around in her head as she drove down the dark road. She wondered if Ranger's proclamation about relationships and marriage was just a smokescreen to hide his fear of commitment, or his fear of exposing his true identity.

Whatever the reason, Stephanie was sure of one thing. Ranger had invited her to his house and there was a motivating factor behind the invitation. She was going to use this opportunity to get to know more about the man who'd complicated her life in so many ways. But at the same time, he'd given her love, understanding and support. And he'd done it in a way that only a boyfriend or spouse could demonstrate. The man of mystery was a walking contradiction.

Stephanie glanced down at the directions in her hand and made a right onto Rock-Lambert Way. Pulling in a deep breath, she let the air seep slowly out of her lungs, trying to calm her nerves. Next stop, the Bat Cave.

****

Stephanie had been sitting in front of the security gate for the last 10 minutes, staring at the little metal box with black numbers. Of course Ranger would live in a gated community; she would not be able to key-fob her way into his private domain this time. The clock on the dashboard read 11:15 PM. It was late and Stephanie had intentionally not called Ranger to let him know she was coming, just in case she changed her mind on the way over. He had not given her a specific time or date to visit, so she took the lack of information as an open invitation.

A few days prior, Ranger told Stephanie that he'd be taking a week off from work, something she'd never known him to do. And when she'd asked him where he'd be spending his free time, he'd locked eyes with her and said he'd be at _home. _Stephanie had failed to mention that she'd found the directions to his _home _in her cookie jar,and Ranger had never revealed that he'd left them there. That's how they operated. The unspoken truth was a normal element in their communication process. Stephanie had learned to play Ranger's game.

Now, sitting in front of Ranger's gated community, Stephanie had a sudden urge to stop playing Ranger's game. What did he really want from her? Was she even sure of what she wanted from him? He'd proven that he would go to great lengths to protect her, and he had the scars to prove it. He'd also proven that he'd kill in her honor, but he'd never confessed to those things in her presence.

"Jeez," Stephanie moaned out loud. "What am I getting myself into? What is it about this guy that makes me so crazy?" Stephanie listened to the little voice in her head, the one that always seemed to have a logical answer.

_You're in love with him, stupid. Now stop acting like an idiot and go talk to him._

Punching in the four digit code on the security box, Stephanie blew out a sigh as the gate squeaked open. She drove her Jeep Wrangler through the open gate and stopped, watching as it closed behind her. Turning on the overhead light, she dug through her purse, pulling out her cell phone. She punched in Ranger's number and he answered on the third ring.

"Yo."

"Yo yourself. What's up?" Stephanie asked.

"Nothing right now," Ranger answered. "But you can change that."

Stephanie smiled into the phone. "I just pulled into your sub-division. I thought I'd drop by for a friendly visit."

There was silence on the other end. Stephanie felt her stomach lurch.

"Is this a bad time?" Stephanie asked, trying to sound casual. I can come back some other day."

"Feeling brave, babe?" Ranger finally asked, a hint of laughter lacing his words.

"I don't know if brave is the right word to use. I'm hungry, though. Do you have some popcorn?"

_Was she a dope, or what_?

Ranger laughed softly. "I'm the last house on the right."

A corner street lamp shed a warm glow of light over Ranger's house, making it seem alluring. The exterior of the two-story house was made of red brick and white trim, a burgundy hue covering the shutters and front door. There was a black mailbox at the edge of the driveway with 2954 in gold numbers.

Ranger's garage door was open and he was leaning against his truck when Stephanie pulled into the driveway. Directing her to the space beside his truck, Ranger smiled when she pulled in.

"Surprise!" Stephanie said, giving Ranger a finger wave as she stepped out of the Jeep.

Ranger glanced at his watch, amusement covering his face. "My past experiences tell me that this is the time of night when visiting hours end, and booty calls begin."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes at Ranger, scanning his body from head to toe.

Ranger was wearing faded jeans that hung low on his hips, a long-sleeve, navy blue T-shirt that hugged every muscle, and blue socks.

"Well from the looks of it, you're not sitting around in your silk boxers waiting for a scheduled booty call."

He walked up to Stephanie and hooked his arm around her neck, kissing the top of her head. Stephanie wrapped her arms around Ranger's waist and gave him a tight squeeze. She wondered if he'd actually been waiting for a woman to deliver on a booty call. It was Friday night, after all.

"You don't have a hot date tonight, do you?"

Ranger hauled Stephanie into his body, pulling her towards the door leading to his house. He hit a button on the wall and the garage door lowered towards the concrete floor.

"I can't remember the last time I had a hot date," Ranger said. "Lukewarm would best describe my last date. I believe I was helping a sexy bounty hunter search an apartment, and the evening ended rather quickly, without any action.''

"That's pathetic," Stephanie laughed. Rangers recollection of their last late night rendezvous had actually been a work related meeting.

"I just got in about an hour ago from visiting my parents," he explained.

"I hardly ever get to see them because I'm always working. Since I had some free time on my hands, I decided to get some quality time in with them."

Stephanie felt a strange sense of relief. Ranger didn't have a hot date. The thought of Ranger spending a romantic evening with another woman made her feel a little queasy. _Was she a hypocrite, or what_?

Ranger took Stephanie by the hand, leading her down a short hallway, opening into a gourmet kitchen. He flipped the light switch, illuminating the room in a soft glow. The kitchen had more space than Ranger would probably ever use, but it was not a massive area.

There was an island standing in the middle of the floor with a dark gray, Granite counter top that matched the other counter tops. There were numerous solid oak cabinets, as well as a spacious pantry. The refrigerator was stainless steel with black trim, as was the dish washer and gas range. Two bar stools sat in front of the island, and an oak table and four chairs were nestled in a corner nook in the kitchen.

"This is lovely," Stephanie said, running her hands along the counter top. There were a few dirty dishes in the sink; Stephanie looked at ranger with raised eyebrows.

"You cook?"

"I throw leftovers in the microwave, mostly. I'm not much of a cook, but I can do enough to feed myself."

"You don't have an Ella to do the cooking and cleaning here?" Stephanie asked.

"I don't spend enough time here to justify a housekeeper. Paying the salaries for two Ella's would not be very cost effective right now."

Ranger grabbed Stephanie by the hand, leading her into a living room that ran catty corner to the kitchen. The spacious room held a dark brown leather sofa with a matching chase lounge. There were two mahogany end tables and a coffee table with an oblong glass table top. The base of the coffee table was made in the shape of a black panther, poised to strike. There was a fire place running along the front wall of the room, the mahogany mantle lined with family pictures.

Stephanie walked to the mantle, glancing at a framed picture with two young boys and four girls grinning at the camera, dressed in their Sunday best. And what looked to be a living Cuban version of the Ken and Barbie dolls stood behind the children, beaming with pride.

"Ranger, is that your family?"

"Yes. That's my family. I'm the little one standing in front of my brother," Ranger said, pointing at the cute little boy in the picture. "My grandmother was still living in Florida when this picture was taken."

"How old were you?" Stephanie asked, not taking her eyes off the young Ranger with long, dark hair, big brown eyes, and a huge smile.

"I was 10-years-old. I was cute little devil back then," Ranger joked.

"You look so…innocent, so pure."

"Yeah, but four years later, I was more devil than I was cute. I really put my parents through it for a while."

"Why were you so bad? What happened?" Stephanie asked, taking advantage of Ranger's conversational mood.

"I think I rebelled because I was insecure, probably Middle Child Syndrome.

I had six siblings, and it's hard to stand out with eight people living in one house. I always felt as if I had no identity when I was around my brother and sisters. I'd get lost in the crowd."

Ranger crossed his arms over his chest. "So, I started hanging with the wrong crowd, trying to find a place where I felt I wasn't living in someone's shadow. I made some bad decisions and ended up in Juvenile Detention for a while."

Ranger stroked his chin thoughtfully, reminiscing about his troubled years.

"Your parents must have been devastated."

"They were devastated," Ranger agreed.

"In addition to dealing with the stress of their jobs, and raising six kids in a four bedroom house, they had to deal with me running the streets, doing whatever I wanted to do. I should have been at home, helping to take care of my siblings while my mom and dad worked their asses off to provide for all of us."

Stephanie caught a quick passing of emotion on Ranger's face. It was the first time he'd given her details of his troubled years as a teenager. "And when you got out of Juvi, your parents sent you to live with your grandmother, right?" Stephanie asked, recalling the story.

"Yes. My parents wanted to get me away from the delinquent's that I'd made friends with. My grandfather had passed away a year prior, and my grandmother was living alone at the time. It was just the two of us, and she gave me the role of being the man of the house. I focused on taking care of her, or at least that's how I looked at it. She made me feel like she needed me to be there for her, gave me a role of responsibility for the first time in my life."

Stephanie didn't say anything. It was rare to hear Ranger say so much in such a short amount of time. She didn't want to interrupt his flow.

"She also instilled in me the importance of being a leader, not a follower," Ranger continued. "For three years that I lived with her, I stayed on the straight and narrow, until I graduated from high school. I didn't want to let my grandmother down. I wanted to prove to her that I could be a responsible man."

Stephanie's eyes scanned the numerous photos on the mantle, only recognizing Ranger's daughter, Julie. There were a slew of nieces and nephews, uncle's and aunts and cousins. There were also a couple of photographs of Ranger dressed in his Army uniform, hair in a military buzz cut, and the impassive gaze she'd grown to associate as Ranger's trademark stare.

"And then off to the real world," Stephanie said, studying the military photographs.

"Yes. After two years of being bored to tears with basic studies in college, I quit and joined the Army. Within a couple of years I agreed to join the Army's Special Forces. And that experience transformed me into this _loco_ guy you know as Ranger."

"You're not loco," Stephanie argued. "Just a little…off center, that's all. Actually, you're one of the sanest people I know."

The corners of Ranger's mouth lifted into a hint of a smile. "Babe, I'm not sure I want to take that as a compliment. Have you ever paid attention to the people you surround yourself with?"

"Yes. And they all march to the beat of their own drum. They're…special."

Ranger kissed Stephanie on her forehead. "That's one of the reasons I love you. You're able to treat nutty people as if their perfectly sane."

"Well, I do have a God given gift, and I have to use it." Stephanie said, taking Ranger by the hand.

"I love the colors in here. You really like earth tones, don't you?"

"I like colors that keep me calm," Ranger said.

The living room was neat and clean, not a room used for entertaining guest. It was strictly a showroom.

Adjacent to the living room was a den where Ranger obviously spent most of his time. Stephanie could tell by the open book resting on the coffee table, and the plush, yet worn sofa and recliner covered in a soft beige material. An American Cherry bookcase ran along the far wall and, judging by the overflow of books, Ranger liked to read.

A stereo system with large cherry wood speakers sat in the corner of the room. And a tall wire rack, holding numerous CD's stood alongside the stereo. A flat panel television that looked to be approximately 40 inches was mounted on the front wall, a football game playing on the screen, the volume turned down low. The floor was covered with natural hard wood, and a cherry wood coffee table was sitting on a chocolate Pera rug.

"Now _this_ is the Ranger I've been dying to meet," Stephanie said. She walked to the bookcase, scanning the selection of hard and soft cover books. There were numerous business and entrepreneurial periodicals on the first two shelves. Self-help and meditation materials were strewn across the middle shelf, and various suspense and mystery novels written by the likes of James Patterson and Dean Koontz littered the bottom shelf.

Stephanie turned and looked at Ranger. "No books on Yoga?"

Ranger pointed to a cabinet under the television. "I keep my Yoga instructions underneath the television. You're welcome to borrow a few if you like."

"Maybe you can teach me what you've learned," Stephanie said, playfully batting her eyelashes at Ranger.

_Good grief. Was she flirting_?

Ranger moved in close behind Stephanie while she pretended to be engrossed in book titles.

"I don't think you're feeling that brave just yet, babe."

"I guess not," Stephanie agreed, feeling Ranger's arms wrap around her waist.

"Probably, I should just take up Karate or Judo. I hear all that bending and twisting in Yoga is hard on the joints."

Stephanie could feel Ranger's body shake with laughter. "Careful, Steph," Ranger warned. "You are trapped in the Bat Cave right now."

"I love your décor." Stephanie thought it might be a good time to change the subject. She wanted to finish touring the rest of the house before jumping Ranger's bones.

"I have a mother and four sisters who love to decorate. They are very good at picking out things that match my personality."

Stephanie turned in Rangers arms; a coy smile graced her lips. "Are you spoiled, or what?"

"No, I'm not spoiled," Ranger said. "I just don't do the shopping and decorating thing. Not my style."

Stephanie sauntered over to the couch and flopped down, sinking into the plush cushions. Ranger sat down next to her.

"When I first moved here, I had a few pieces of furniture that didn't match, and all the walls were painted white. I didn't have any extra time to paint or decorate. My mother would come to visit and beg me to at least look at paint samples. So, finally I chose some colors I could live with, gave my mother a credit card and the rest is _accent wall_ history. There are still a few things I'd like to do to the house, but I don't have much free time."

Stephanie turned on the couch to look at Ranger. "I suppose you could always make time for yourself, right?"

Ranger locked eyes with Stephanie. "I suppose that's true. I should probably ease up on my work schedule. I'm not getting any younger."

"Is there something special you're working towards?" Stephanie asked. She'd always been curious about Ranger's specific goals in life. "Or are you just a workaholic?"

Ranger smiled. "I admit, I'm a workaholic, and there's not much I won't do as long as the price is right. I like living a comfortable life. And I also like the fact that I can help support my family if they need financial assistance."

Ranger slouched into the cushions of the couch, matching Stephanie's posture.

"And then there's Julie. I'll have to put her through college, plus I have a business to keep afloat. And it would be nice to be able to retire by the time I'm 50. I've done and seen a lot of things in the 33 years I've been on this earth. I don't want to work until I'm 65 or 70 years old."

"Is there a wife in your future plans?" Stephanie asked.

Ranger smiled, holding Stephanie's gaze. "I suppose there will be a wife and son in my future. I hope so, anyway."

"You want more kids?" Stephanie asked, surprised by Ranger's answer.

"Yes," Ranger said. "Someday I would like to father a son to continue my legacy. I'm not close to my daughter, but I love her. It would be nice to get a second chance to get the fatherhood thing right."

"Wow!" Stephanie was outdone. "I've never heard you acknowledge that you'd like to have a family. You've always seemed so against the idea."

Ranger stood, pulling Stephanie to her feet. "I'm not against having a family, Stephanie. I just don't want to fail at another relationship. I won't jump into a second marriage until I'm prepared be a dedicated husband and father. And, I'm going to need a very understanding wife who can deal with my _busy_ lifestyle."

Stephanie could only nod her head. She could hardly believe Ranger was standing in front of her talking about a family life. The fact that he trusted her enough to discuss his true feelings made her heart flutter. Ranger was in his comfort zone. This was Ranger at _home_.

Passing a half bathroom in the hall, Ranger lead Stephanie up a winding staircase to his bedroom. The master suite was a huge room with a vaulted ceiling, the walls covered in a warm earth tone paint. The color was similar to a Laura Ashley brand of paint Stephanie really liked, _Toasted Coconut_. The king-size bed was framed with hand distressed hard wood, covered with an antique black finish and a cherry wood trim. The night stands and chest of drawers were made of the same antique finish, the tops boasting a cherry wood veneer.

Ranger had set up a computer and desk in the sitting area which was in the corner of the room. His windows were dressed with cherry wood, plantation shutters, and a 52 inch, Bronze Stratford ceiling fan hung directly over the bed.

The space felt intimate and safe, masculine yet sexy. Stephanie's bare feet sank into the plush carpet as she walked to the office area to get a closer look at the picture hanging on the wall above the computer.

"Is this Julie?"

"Yes. She was 5-months-old in that picture. That's my favorite baby picture of her."

"She's beautiful,'' Stephanie said, admiring the pink dress and the huge toothless grin covering Julie's face.

"I think so, but I'm a bit biased," Ranger said. "A few weeks after that picture was taken, her mother packed her bags and left with Julie. I came home to find an empty apartment."

"I'm sorry, Ranger," Stephanie said sympathetically.

"Don't be. It was for the best. We both knew that the marriage wasn't going to work out. I married Julie's mother out of moral responsibility, not because I was in love with her. We were both young, not ready for that kind of commitment. And I could not give her the emotional stability she needed at the time. She was a young, new mother, and I was…out there. I wasn't ready to be a husband or father. She deserved better."

"Well, at least you support Julie financially. A lot of father's who are estranged from their children don't do that. Maybe as she gets older, the two of you will be able to build a close relationship."

"Maybe," Ranger agreed, gazing at the picture. "She swears that she's going to attend college here in Jersey. She said she'd like to go to Princeton. Hopefully by that time, I'll be more settled, and she'll be close enough to visit often."

Stephanie laughed. "Well she has a few years, yet. She's a pre-teen; I'm surprised she's even thinking about college right now."

"Julie is very mature for her age. In a lot of ways, she's just like me. She likes to plan for her future as far in advance as she can."

"Well, start saving up now," Stephanie said, showing herself into the master bathroom.

There was a rectangular shaped, Bone Town jet spa tub sitting under a small window. And Stephanie could bet her right arm that Ranger had never set foot in the tub. Not without the promise of a woman joining him. There was a separate shower with glass mosaic tile, and a private closet housing the toilet. The marble vanity had a double sink, and there was natural stone tile on the floor.

"This is so beautiful!" Stephanie said. "Do you ever use the tub?"

Ranger cut his eyes at Stephanie. "Babe, I don't take baths, not unless a woman is involved and sex is a prerequisite."

"I figured as much," Stephanie admitted. "You would never be able to get me _out_ of that thing. I would love to soak in a tub like that _everyday_."

Ranger's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin. "Anytime you want to borrow my tub, just let me know. You could try it out now if you like."

"I'll have to take a rain check on that invitation," Stephanie said. "Besides, I have a feeling you would be very distracting during bath time."

"You can't even imagine how distracting I'd be," Ranger said, his eyes growing dark with passion.

Here's the thing, Stephanie could imagine the distraction. In fact, she couldn't keep the naughty images out of her head. And the images were getting her very hot and bothered. Not a good thing considering she didn't want to go back down that road with Ranger just yet. First thing, she had to settle some matters with Morelli. Second thing, she needed to know what Ranger's objective was for her. She'd had the no strings attached sex with him, and she wanted more. Stephanie was emotionally attached to Ranger, and she knew he was emotionally attached to her, too. He'd told her that much.

Ranger's home told a different story than his apartment. While his apartment seemed to be part of his journey, Ranger's home seemed to be his destination. Warm and inviting, the walls of his home provided accommodations for a domesticated man, not a lone wolf bounty hunter. Ranger's home symbolized a man who could settle down if he really wanted to. So why did he hide it from her for so long? And what was he holding back now?

Ranger interrupted her thoughts mid stream. "Steph, it's too late for you to be thinking this hard. I can smell your brain burning."

Stephanie pulled her eyes away from the bathtub and looked at Ranger. "Just out of curiosity, exactly how many women have toured your home?"

Ranger raised his eyebrows in question. "Is that your way of asking me how many women have spent the night in my bed?"

Stephanie thought for a moment. "Yes."

Ranger stepped in close to Stephanie, his lips skimming her ear. "You'll be the first," he whispered. "It might not be tonight, but you'll be back here, in my bed."

Stephanie swallowed hard. She had no quick come back to Ranger's declaration. She knew in her heart that she'd be in Ranger's bed soon enough. But she also agreed it probably wouldn't be tonight. Hell, with all the sexual sparks between the two of them, they'd probably set the bed on fire. And Stephanie didn't want to be blamed for burning down Ranger's house. Plus, there was still the dilemma of Ranger's aversion to a committed relationship. Probably, she should get to the bottom of that predicament once and for all.

"Here's the problem," Stephanie said, finding her voice again. "When we were together the first time, I really desired you, but I didn't know a lot about you. Sexual attraction mixed with morbid curiosity allowed me to let my guard down. But my feelings for you are different now. I'm emotionally attached to you in a way that I don't really understand.

"And I'm emotionally attached to you, too," Ranger admitted. He was still standing in her personal space, his scent invading her senses.

Stephanie took a step back, creating a few inches of space between them.

"For me, making love with you now would mean something totally different than the first time. But I'm still not completely sure of what it would mean to you, Ranger. I don't think you want the same type of relationship that I do. In fact, you've made it very clear that you are not ready for a committed relationship."

Ranger ran his hands up and down Stephanie's arms, warming her skin.

"I'm not ready for a trip down the aisle, Stephanie, but I'm not scared of moving into committed relationship with you. I don't have to tell you that I'm not the Burg's standard version of a young man, holding down a regular 9 to 5 job. It's been very difficult for me to find a woman who'll put up with my lifestyle. A committed relationship with me might require a lot more patience, understanding and sacrifice than you're willing to give, babe."

"And what happens if I _am_ willing to put up with your lifestyle?" Stephanie asked, testing Ranger's resolve.

Ranger looked as if he were not sure how to answer Stephanie's question. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he stood for a moment, contemplating his answer. "I'm not sure what happens," he answered honestly.

"This might be a good time to start thinking about it, Ranger."

Ranger thought about it for a minute, his eyes penetrating Stephanie's face.

"What kind of relationship are _you_ really looking for?" Ranger asked.

"One month you're living with Morelli, and the next month you won't even acknowledge that you two are a couple. What kind of commitment are you used to, exactly?"

Stephanie felt her eye begin to twitch. Ranger had asked an honest question, but it irked her that he'd quickly turned the table, putting her on the spot.

"Babe, your eye is twitching," Ranger said in a soft voice. "It seems I'm not the only one running from commitment. And you know what? If I'd thought that Morelli was serious about keeping you away from me, I would have backed off a long time ago. Hell, one of the reasons I've pursued you for so long is because you've never seemed that committed to Morelli. And you've never made a direct effort to kick me out of your life, even though I've made my intentions very clear."

Stephanie moved to the edge of the tub, resting her ass on the cold surface.

"I love Morelli," she said. "But I'm not in love with him. I guess I'm so used to having him around, I'm denying the reality that we've outgrown the relationship. For me, Morelli is like a pair of old shoes that I know I need to get rid of, but they're so comfortable, I hold on to them as long as possible before throwing them away."

Ranger sat next Stephanie on the tub.

"Joe is a true blue Morelli man," Stephanie continued. "And Morelli men usually marry women who take on the roles of Stepford Wives. I have no desire to be a housewife right now, but I do like the comfort and stability of being in a relationship."

Ranger tucked a strand of Stephanie's hair behind her ear. "That's another thing I love about you, babe. You don't fit into the Burg's standards of what a woman is supposed to be. You do what you want to do, and I respect that."

"What essential quality do you look for in a woman?" Stephanie inquired.

"Loyalty is a big thing for me," Ranger answered. "I consider myself to be a trustworthy guy, my word is my bond. And I expect the same in return."

Stephanie thought that was a fair answer. Ranger had proved to be a dependable person. There had always been a certain trust factor about him that made her feel safe.

"Any other questions you have for me right now?" Ranger asked evenly.

"Stephanie stood, looking down at Ranger. "Yes. But I'm hungry and you still have to show me the rest of the house."

The corners of Ranger's mouth lifted a fraction, but his eyes were intense. He stood, stepping into Stephanie's personal space again.

"Do you think I have the qualities you require to engage in a committed relationship, Stephanie?"

"Yes…But, I feel there is something that you're still not telling me, so my sense of judgment is clearly not aligned with what I feel in my heart. I know that sounds crazy. Probably everyone will think I'm crazy for even entertaining the idea of being with you. But I can't seem to control the way I feel. I'm so confused right now."

Stephanie felt tears form in her eyes, and she tried to quickly blink them away. _Why was she being such an emotional dope_? A single tear escaped down her cheek, coming to a rest in the crease of her nose. She moved towards the door, trying to get away from Ranger's concentrated gaze.

But before she could make it out of the bathroom, Ranger grabbed Stephanie's wrists, pulling her flush with his body. His lips softly skimmed the tip her nose before moving down to devour her mouth. Stephanie braced her hands at the nape of Ranger's neck as his tongue searched her mouth for warmth. She opened her mouth wider to oblige Ranger's exploration, her tongue massaging his.

Running his hands up and down her spine, Ranger finally pulled his lips away from Stephanie's grasp.

"I need to get you as far away from my bedroom as possible, babe," Ranger said, his breath warm against her face. We need to continue our discussion in a safe zone. I don't want you to leave here more emotionally confused than you already are."

The heat from Ranger's kiss had caused Stephanie's eyes to glaze over.

"Okeydokey," was all she could spit out.

Ranger walked Stephanie through the remaining rooms of his house. A second bathroom, a guest bedroom, and a third room reserved for his daughter completed the tour of the second floor. Stephanie loved the Bat Cave. And Ranger seemed more assessable in his home, the mysterious layers peeling away.

****

Sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen, Stephanie watched as Ranger prepared two grilled cheese sandwiches and a bag of microwave popcorn.

"You can go look through my DVD collection and pick out something to watch," Ranger said, placing the sandwiches on a medium size electric grill. "I don't own any chick flicks, sorry."

"I'll wait until you're done making the sandwiches. This is so weird! I had no idea you were a grilled cheese extraordinaire!"

Ranger gave a bark of laughter. "I'd be one pathetic bachelor if I didn't know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich."

"True," Stephanie agreed. "But you're using _real_ butter and _fattening_ cheese. That's so out of character for you."

Ranger flipped the sandwiches and then grabbed two beers out of the refrigerator, handing them to Stephanie. "All for you, babe," he said playfully. "Take the beers and the popcorn into the den, and I'll bring the sandwiches."

Ranger and Stephanie ate their impromptu meal while quietly watching _Snakes on a Plane_. Stephanie was curled into Ranger's side, his arm hooked around her shoulder when the ending credits rolled across the screen.

"I swear I'm going to have nightmares about snakes for the next month."

"Babe, that movie was really good," Ranger said, raising his arms over his head, stretching his muscles.

"Sure, if you want to think about snakes every time you close your eyes."

Ranger grabbed the remote from between the cushions of the sofa and clicked off the television.

"Is that my queue that my visit has come to an end?" Stephanie asked, uncurling herself from Ranger's side.

Rearranging his sitting position on the couch, looking directly into Stephanie's eyes, Ranger asked pointedly. "What are you going to do about Morelli?"

Stephanie ran her fingers through her curls and blew out a sigh.

"I'm going to be honest and tell him that I think it's time for us to move on. But I'm not ending my relationship with Joe in hopes of starting one with you. I'm making the decision to break up with Morelli because we're at a point in our lives where it's the right thing to do. I'm basing my decision on what I want out of life, and not on what I hope you'll decide. I don't want to hurt you nor Joe in this process. But I don't want to get hurt, either."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Stephanie," Ranger said. "Honestly, I would love to be in a committed relationship with you. But I need you to understand I won't be the typical boyfriend that you've been used to. There will be times when I'll have to go away for a while. And I probably won't tell you every detail of what I'm doing when I'm away. I like to keep my job and my private life as separate as possible."

Stephanie threw up her hands in frustration. "You have to give me more than that, Ranger. We can't build a relationship on secrets."

Ranger kissed Stephanie's lips lightly. "You deal with Morelli, and I'll work on the rest. It's too late for you to drive home, stay here tonight. I won't hassle you for sex, seeing as it's your first visit to the Bat Cave."

"No can do, Stephanie said, standing up to leave. "I trust you, but I don't trust myself to stay out of your bed tonight. I'll be fine."

Stephanie wrapped her arms around Ranger's neck. "Thank you for the hospitality and the honest conversation. You have a beautiful home."

"What about the movie?" Ranger teased. "Didn't you like the movie?"

"Not so much. I'll bring a chick flick the next time I visit. You owe me one."

"Babe, the next time you step into my house, you'll be staying for a couple of days. And you are going to have a real hard time walking when you leave."

Ranger wrapped his arms around Stephanie's waist, pulling her tight against his body. "You've been warned."

"Good to know," Stephanie said. "_Now_ I have something to look forward to."

"I'm not going to share you with Morelli, ever. So you need to be very clear on who and what you want before I tell you anything else, understand?"

"So there is more?" Stephanie asked.

"There's more. But we're not going to get into it now. I think we've covered enough tonight, don't you?"

"We've talked about plenty tonight," Stephanie agreed.

****

Stephanie sat at her dining room table, snacking on a Butterscotch Krimpet, scanning a college brochure. Her mind kept drifting, trying to imagine what she'd be doing in five years. Would she be a career woman, traveling the United States? Or maybe she'd be a wife and mother, choosing to stay home and raise her children? So many questions and scenarios ran through her head. Whatever the outcome, she'd taken the first few steps to get her life in order.

It had been three weeks since Stephanie had made her first visit to the Bat Cave. And she'd yet to return, maintaining minimal contact with Ranger during those three weeks, choosing instead to make a couple of important decisions in her life without his distractions.

She'd officially split with Morelli over two weeks ago. After hours of honest revelations and a few harsh truths, Morelli had finally agreed that they were indeed at different crossroads. Stephanie was ready to take a different path than the one Morelli wanted to take her down. She had not told Morelli about her feelings for Ranger; she didn't feel it was even necessary to bring it up. She realized that in the end, their break-up was not about Ranger. Stephanie still wasn't sure what road she and Ranger were going take, but she didn't want to keep stringing Morelli along for the ride.

Stephanie had also enrolled in a business college. She didn't want to be a life-time member of the Bounty Hunter Club; she wanted direction and stability in her life. Hunting criminals created chaos and instability in her life and she was ready for a new career, one that was challenging, yet safe.

She wanted something exciting without the danger she'd grown used to over the last couple of years. So, a few days ago, she'd signed up for a legal office technology program at a local college. She'd continue to do bounty hunting during the day, and take classes at night. The program was 14 months long, and she figured she would keep money in her pocket by tracking FTA's until she finished the program.

Stephanie had just polished off another Krimpet when her cell phone vibrated across the table. She glanced down at the caller ID.

Ranger.

"Yo," Stephanie answered.

"Yo yourself," said Ranger. You've been avoiding me."

"You're kind of hard to avoid seeing as how you can walk through walls, and all."

"True," Ranger agreed. "Good thing I've been busy. I've had no time to harass you."

Stephanie brushed Tastykake crumbs off her class schedule and pushed it aside. "I've been trying to get my life together. I just needed a couple of weeks to focus and make some decisions."

"How's that working out?" Ranger asked.

"I'm enrolled at Trenton Tech," Stephanie said to Ranger. "I start a legal office technology program in a couple of weeks."

"Good choice, babe. Sounds like you're starting to figure things out. Word on the street is you and Morelli have gone your separate ways. Is that true?"

"Yes, that's true." Stephanie answered. "I was going to tell you myself, but word on the street seems to travel faster than your Porsche!"

Ranger laughed softly. "Are you okay? Do you need more time to get over the break-up? I'll back off if that's what you want."

"No, that's not what I want. I'm fine. It's not like I'm sitting around in my pajamas eating Tastykakes all day…Well I _am_ eating Tastykakes, but I'm wearing jeans and a T-shirt."

"Babe."

"What? Give me a break! I can always find a reason to eat cake."

"I have a couple of hours before my next meeting," Ranger said. "Do you have any room in your stomach for real food?"

"I always have room for real food. I'm at home, where are you?"

"I'm at the office. I'll be there in about 20 minutes."

"I'll be ready," Stephanie said, her stomach doing flips. But it wasn't the Tastykakes causing the flips.

This would be the first time she'd be able to have lunch with Ranger without hiding behind the guise of a work related outing. She'd be able to relax and enjoy Ranger's company, guilt free. Of course, they had an unfinished discussion simmering on the back-burner, and that was probably the real cause of the butterflies in her stomach.

****

"So, is this our first date," Stephanie asked Ranger around a mouthful of sausage pizza.

"Babe." Ranger took a bite of his cheese slice, searching Stephanie's face for sincerity. "Do you really think I'd take you to a pizza joint on our first date?"

"You don't talk about what you do on dates. How would I know?"

Ranger's lips curved into a smile. "I usually skip the whole dating thing. I'm a 'straight to third base' kind of guy."

Oh boy.

Stephanie had already been to third base with Ranger. And he'd hit a few home runs during the course of the night.

"Yes, but now that _those_ days are over, what's your plan for me?"

Ranger raised his eyebrows in question. "Did I tell you _those_ days were over, or are you assuming as much?"

Stephanie's eyes narrowed into slits. Part of her knew Ranger was teasing, but the insecure part of Stephanie wasn't so sure.

"You told me that you don't share your women. And, contrary to popular belief in the Burg, I'm not good at sharing, either." Stephanie emphasized her point by throwing a green olive at Ranger, catching him in the forehead.

"Are you one of my women?" Ranger asked playfully.

"Do you have a secret harem, or what?"

Ranger plucked an olive off Stephanie's plate and popped it in his mouth.

"No. I don't have a secret harem, babe. At one point in my life, years ago, that kind of lifestyle was a part of my M.O., but I like to think I've matured into a one woman kind of man."

"I never see you with any women, besides the girls that give you lap dances at the strip club," Stephanie pointed out. "Have you been in a long-term relationship since your ex wife?"

"My ex-wife and I didn't really have a long-term relationship. We'd only been on a couple of dates before she got pregnant. And we were only married a little over year before she left me."

Ranger grabbed a napkin, wiping his mouth and hands. Stephanie guessed he was buying time, contemplating how much he'd like to share about his past.

"A few years ago, when I first started working for Vinnie, I met a woman who stole my heart, nearly at first sight. We dated exclusively for a year or so, and during that time I fell in love with her. We shared an apartment together and even toyed with the idea of marriage."

"So, what happened?" Stephanie asked.

"I had been out of town for a couple of weeks, came home and found her in bed with a guy who I thought was my friend. Obviously he wasn't my friend, and she wasn't as in love with me as I thought. Long story short, the guy had to be taken away in an ambulance when I was done with him, and she disappeared."

Stephanie looked at Ranger, mouth gaped open. "Oh my God. You killed her?"

A smile tugged at Ranger's lips. "No. While I was distracted with kicking my _friend's_ ass, she took off. She didn't even come back to pick up her clothes. I got a letter from her a few months later, asking me to mail all her belongings to her parent's house. She'd moved back to her home town, claimed she was scared to live in the same state that I lived in."

"You didn't mail them, did you?"

"No," Ranger answered. I never responded to her letter. I took her belongings and gave them to my sisters. Clothes, jewelry, shoes and all."

"What about the guy?" Stephanie asked. What happened to him?"

Ranger was silent for a beat. "Word on the street is that he's on disability now. I guess he never fully recovered from his injuries. I was kind of crazy back then. Plus, I was really hurt by their actions, so I took my anger and pain out on him."

Stephanie studied Ranger's face. While he didn't appear proud of what he'd done, she didn't see much remorse.

"No wonder your girlfriend was scared to come back," Stephanie pointed out. "Would you have hurt her if she'd come back to get her stuff?"

"I've never hit a woman," Ranger admitted, taking a sip of ice water. "Truth be told, I probably could have been a better boyfriend. I was always loyal, never cheated, but I didn't give her the emotional support she needed at the time. I'm not trying to justify what she did, but I've learned that there's more to a committed relationship than just being faithful."

Stephanie had stopped eating, her focus solely on Ranger, listening intently to his confession. She'd always thought of Ranger as a heartbreaker, not one who'd had his heart broken.

"So, is that the real reason you shy away from serious relationships?" Stephanie asked. "Because you're not sure if you can give a woman the emotional support she might need?"

"Yes," Ranger answered truthfully. "I don't have a successful record in the relationship department. And until I met you, I didn't even want to put extra energy into a relationship. I'm damn good at just about everything I put my mind to. But I can't seem to master the relationship thing."

Stephanie thought back to the night she'd shared with Ranger. He'd definitely mastered the art of physical pleasure. Ranger used sex as a way to communicate his emotions.

"I get it now!" Stephanie slapped her head for emphasis. "It all makes sense, except the lack of communication part. I still can't figure out why you're so cagey."

The look on Ranger's face spoke volumes. Stephanie was amusing him.

"There's more to tell, babe. But I can't discuss it with you here." Ranger looked down at his watch. "I still have an hour to kill, so let's go back to your apartment."

Oh boy.

****

"Am I going to need a shot of Vodka before I hear this?" Stephanie was sitting on her couch watching as Ranger paced the floor.

"Vodka won't be necessary. I'm just contemplating my own sanity right now."

Stephanie blew out a sigh, shifting on the couch. "Is it that bad? Are you going to have to kill me once you tell me?"

Ranger stopped pacing long enough to shoot Stephanie an incredulous look. "Babe, if it were that serious, I'd just keep my mouth shut. And I hardly ever kill people anymore."

"Good to know," Stephanie said. "You're making me crazy. Tell me!"

Ranger walked over to the couch and sat down next to Stephanie.

"What I'm about to tell you has to stay right here, Stephanie. There are only a couple of people who know what I'm about to tell you. And outside of my family, there are only a few people I really trust. You are one of those people, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Stephanie nodded her head, waiting for Ranger to continue.

"My security business is just one facet of my life. I have a part-time job, working special assignments for a covert operations group."

Stephanie leaned back into the cushions of her couch, closing her eyes. "Please tell me that you're not an assassin."

Ranger moved to the coffee table, sitting directly in front of Stephanie, pulling her back into an upright position.

"I'm not an assassin, babe. But there have been times when I've had to hunt down a target for an assassin. I'm not going give you a point by point job description of what I do. But I can tell you that I have to put my Special Forces skills to good use."

"These people you _hunt_…they're bad people, right?" Stephanie asked, hoping like hell that Ranger was hunting bad guys and not innocent people.

"Yes," Ranger answered. They're people involved in white-collar crimes. They ruin the lives of others through embezzlement, fraud, bribery and inside trading."

"So, let me get this straight," Stephanie said. "These criminals are involved in white-collar crimes, they're found out, and a contract is put on their lives as some kind of payback? Why not let the police handle the situation? Why hire an assassin?"

"These groups operate similar to how the Mafia operates. The only difference is they're working on Wall Street, or within some other corporate financial institution. Police involvement would shut the whole organization down. So they take the law into their own hands."

"And you are hired to go find these…white-collar criminals, and hand-deliver them to an assassin?"

"Think of it as bounty hunting, with a lot more private detective work involved. I find the targets, report their whereabouts to another informant who takes it from there. I collect my finder's fee, and I move on."

Stephanie looked at Ranger, her eyed wide with questions. "How the hell did you find a gig like that?"

"Actually the gig found me a couple of years ago. I meet a lot of people in my travels that are looking for specific individuals that have my skills. I'm like a special commodity to these people."

Ranger wiped his hand across his face. "I'm a mercenary, Stephanie. I had a goal to achieve and I discovered a way to finance that goal. The money is good. And I make no apologies for my decisions."

"But your business seems to be doing so well," Stephanie said. "Is it just about money?"

"My business is doing well _because_ of the extra money I make. I have not always been in a positive financial position, and I've worked damned hard to get where I am today. In two years I've paid most of my lingering business debts. My business partners, on the other hand, will probably be in debt for the next 15 to 20 years. Even if we each decide to sell our share of the business, they'll still be paying off loans. I don't want to live like that."

Stephanie ran her fingers through her hair, worry etched in her face. "What happens when you tell this covert operations group that you don't want to work for them anymore? Can you just up and leave?"

"I was hired under a two year contract, and I have three months left. The group rotates its contract workers every two years, and I've never seen the faces of the people I work for. They protect themselves from being identified, hence all the middle men. I could not give the authorities information on this group if I wanted to. Plus, I would be incriminating myself. Why would want to do that?"

Stephanie thought about that for a moment. Ranger worked for killers, but he didn't kill for money. But that didn't mean he wasn't a killer.

"Have you ever killed anyone, Ranger?"

"Yes," Ranger said without hesitation. "I've killed to protect my country while in the Army, and I've killed to protect people I love. I don't kill for sport, Stephanie. I'm not a monster, but I don't operate in black and white, either."

Ranger rested his elbows on his thighs, his hands dangling between his knees. An awkward silence filled every crevice of the room, neither one of them knowing what to say next.

Finally, Ranger broke the silence. "I know I've given you a lot of information to process, Steph, but I want to be completely honest with you about who I am and what it is I do. If we are going to take on a serious relationship, it needs to be rooted in the truth."

Ranger looked at his watch and sighed softly. "And if who I am is too much for you to handle, and you decide that you want to keep our relationship strictly platonic, I'll understand. I won't like it, but I'll understand."

Stephanie studied Ranger's face. His eyes were dark, his expression restrained.

She thought about the many times Ranger had come to her rescue, showing up within minutes after she'd call him with a problem. He'd shared his living space with her when she had no other place to go. And he'd shown the ultimate sacrifice by putting himself between her and a mad man with a gun, taking a few bullets in the process. Ranger's actions verbalized what he could not say with words. And she always felt safe when Ranger was in her presence. No other man had ever given her that kind of security.

Stephanie had guessed early on that Ranger didn't have an ordinary job. Hell, she didn't exactly have a run-of-the-mill job, either. And since Ranger had made sure to keep certain aspects of his life secret, she'd surmised that there had to be an element of danger in whatever it was he did. But, in spite of what she knew in her heart, she still allowed herself to fall in love with him. And hearing Ranger confess to what she'd already figured out didn't change her feelings for him one bit.

"Do you actually enjoy this kind of lifestyle?" Stephanie asked, wondering if Ranger would continue to accept similar assignments.

Ranger was quiet for a beat, thinking about Stephanie's question.

"I don't enjoy the job, but I enjoy the lifestyle it affords me. I finally have financial security, and that's a comfort most first time entrepreneurs' can't afford. When my contract with this group is over, Rangman Security will be my main focus. And I'll continue to capture high risk FTA's for extra money. My days in the covert operations business are just about over, babe."

Ranger looked at his watch again. "I have a meeting to get to," he said. He gave Stephanie a light kiss on her lips and walked to the door.

"Do you want to talk later, or should I just stay away for a while?"

Stephanie inhaled deeply and blew out the air slowly. "You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?"

Ranger smiled, his hand resting on the door knob. "I really wasn't sure what to expect once I told you the truth," he said. "But you never cease to amaze me."

"Well…I don't know how amazing I am," Stephanie said. "Crazy is probably a better word to use. I suppose we'll have to postpone any wedding plans until you're done with your _assignment. _Three more months, right?"

Ranger gave a soft bark of laughter and opened the door. "Yeah, Steph.

Three more months, and I'll be done with the assignment. Probably, we should arrange a first date before making wedding plans, though. We can discuss it tonight over a glass of wine at my place."

Stephanie locked eyes with Ranger, her lips widening into a smile. "Can we discuss it in your spa tub?"

"We can do anything you like in my spa tub, babe," Ranger said, returning the smile. And then he was gone.


End file.
